


diamonds in our eyes

by saiditallbefore



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Fpreg, Requited Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 01:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14485497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saiditallbefore/pseuds/saiditallbefore
Summary: Iseul was beautiful; there was no other word for it.  Even her visibly pregnant belly could not distract from her long, shining hair and her dark, expressive eyes.Iseul sank into a curtsey, slightly lower than might be expected of one of her status, and said, “You must be Princess Eun-Ji.”When an unexpected pregnancy forces an arranged marriage between Iseul and Eun-Ji, the two princesses discover unexpected feelings.





	diamonds in our eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shores](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shores/gifts).



> Title from Princess by FLETCHER.

Eun-Ji, princess of the Yi kingdom of the Cloud Empire, sat alone in her new home, waiting for her first glimpse of her bride.

The home had been a marriage gift from Eun-Ji’s uncle, the king: a place where she and her new wife could set up their own household. It had also meant going into country seclusion; unlike her old home, in her father’s palace, in the heart of the capital, this house was in the heart of the countryside. 

Eun-Ji could hardly protest at that. The reason for the home in the country was the same reason she had gotten married in the first place: her cousin Sun-Hwa had become intimate with her betrothed before getting married, then called off the betrothal when her betrothed became pregnant. She’d acted dishonorably all around, and it was only right that the family make reparations to Sun-Hwa’s former betrothed.

It was just Eun-Ji’s bad luck that “reparations,” in this case, meant finding the jilted woman a new wife. After all, she wasn’t just any woman— she was Princess Iseul of the Moon kingdom, another client of the Cloud Empire. 

So their families had signed the marriage papers, with no ceremony at all. It would only have served to expose Iseul’s embarrassment to more people. It wasn’t, Eun-Ji’s parents and uncle had explained, supposed to be a punishment.

Still, it felt like one. But as Eun-Ji watched Princess Iseul’s litter, carried by four strong manservants, approach, she tried to push any feelings of resentment away. This was her duty. This was how she would keep dishonor from falling upon her family.

At long last, the servants lowered the litter to the ground, right in front of Eun-Ji. She schooled her face to a neutral position as they pulled up the folding screen in front, revealing the woman inside.

Iseul was beautiful; there was no other word for it. Even her visibly pregnant belly could not distract from her long, shining hair and her dark, expressive eyes. 

Iseul sank into a curtsey, slightly lower than might be expected of one of her status, and said, “You must be Princess Eun-Ji.”

Eun-Ji reached forward and helped her up. “Just Eun-Ji, please. I hope there will be no need for formality between us.” She allowed her hands to rest on Iseul’s for just a moment before pulling away, and smiled, tentatively. “I hope— I hope we can be friends, at least.”

Iseul smiled back, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “That would be nice.”

* * *

Despite Eun-Ji’s initial hopes, she and Iseul lived largely separate lives. They saw each other for a short time at supper, but the rest of the time, Iseul remained in her room. Occasionally, she would wander the garden— which had run wild in the years the house had been unoccupied, and which the servants were still trying to tame. When Eun-Ji tried to talk to her, Iseul always responded politely, but extricated herself from the conversation as soon as she could.

This hopelessly polite, stilted standoff continued for a few weeks, until a messenger arrived from the palace.

He carried a letter to Eun-Ji from the king. Iseul, who had been outside when the messenger rode in, watched with something akin to curiosity as Eun-Ji unfolded it and skimmed the missive.

“Princess Sun-Hwa has been betrothed to General Hyun-Sik,” Eun-Ji said. “They will be married in a few months.” It was a good match, but rather sudden.

Iseul, who never been anything but serene and placid in Eun-Ji’s presence, dissolved into tears and rushed away— as least, as much as a pregnant woman in a hanbok could rush.

Eun-Ji quickly dismissed the messenger— sending him to refresh himself in the kitchens and have his horse looked after in the stable— before running inside to find Iseul.

She stood in the hallway outside of Iseul’s door, where she could hear faint sobs coming from inside of Iseul’s room.

Eun-Ji knocked on the door softly. “Iseul?” she called. There was no answer at first, so she called again. “Iseul?”

After a few moments, the crying quieted, and the door opened. “I’m sorry,” Iseul said. “It’s just— Sun-Hwa and I—”

Eun-Ji felt a sudden stab of sympathy for the other woman, and embraced her. “ _She’s_ the one who’s acted dishonorably,” Eun-Ji said, as they broke apart.

“But I’m the one carrying our child.” Iseul placed a hand on her belly.

“You have nothing to feel sorry for,” Eun-Ji said firmly.

Perhaps that wasn’t strictly true— Iseul had participated just as fully in the act as Sun-Hwa, after all— but Eun-Ji couldn’t bring herself to regret saying it, when it made Iseul look so happy.

* * *

After that, things became easier between them. They spoke more freely— about their childhoods and their families, about the gossip passed to them from their home cities in correspondence sent by their friends and acquaintances. 

They spoke about their plans for Iseul’s baby— and that was the first difficulty. The baby was Iseul’s alone. If it was anyone else’s, it was Sun-Hwa’s, though she would never acknowledge it. 

But it took all of Eun-Ji’s attention to remember that, when Iseul smiled at her in the sunlight, and suggested a name for the baby, and Eun-Ji just wanted this family to be hers, forever. 

So the final months of Iseul’s pregnancy passed in relative peace, until the time for the birth was finally upon them. Eun-Ji fought and pleaded with the midwife, but it fell upon deaf ears— tradition would be upheld, and Eun-Ji would not be allowed in the birthing room. 

Instead, Eun-Ji waited outside the birthing room. She paced at first, but as the hours dragged on and her legs tired, she resigned herself to sitting, staring at the closed door. Servants tried to convince her to eat, but the only thing she could bring herself to consume was tea. 

Eun-Ji knew that her presence didn’t truly change anything, but she still couldn’t leave. Inside that room, Iseul was giving birth to her child. The hours wore on, and day turned into night, which turned into early morning, but still Eun-Ji couldn’t be moved. 

Finally, the door creaked open, and the midwife gestured for Eun-Ji to enter. 

Iseul, soaked with sweat and blood, had already fallen back asleep. The midwife’s apprentice held the child— a red, wrinkled, damp thing, wrapped in an old blanket. She thrust it into Eun-Ji’s arms.

“He’s already eaten,” the apprentice said. “Just hold him until she wakes back up.”

Eun-Ji gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, near Iseul, and gazed at the baby— Iseul’s son. 

“Don’t worry,” she murmured. “I’m going to make sure you’re looked after. Both of you.”


End file.
